ADwin System Speeds Test Automation Development


Real-Time Data Acquisition and Control



CHESTERLAND OH — Test  systems  are  used  to  determine  the  dynamic characteristics  and  parameters  of  components  and sensors.  In  RD,  these  systems  acquire  not  only component  parameters  but  also  characteristics  of prototypes  and  preproduction  models.  Component endurance is determined by testing them over thousands of test cycles.  On production lines, test benches ensure a higher level of quality through  either  random sample or individual  component  testing  (CAQ).  Test  information and  data  is  then  transferred  to  a  control  system  (PC  or programmable  controller)  via  Ethernet  or  a  Fieldbus interface. Users can then store this information as quality records in the production database.



Earlier this year CAS DataLoggers supplied an ADwin Data Acquisition and Control System to a test engineer looking for a data acquisition system which could measure parameters in real time. Since he wanted to get his test application up and running ASAP, he specified a request for simple-to-use visualization software.



Hardware:



ADwin systems  are commonly used as test systems for sensors, actuators, control devices, combustion engines, ball bearings, relays, switches, CAN bus devices (e.g. for automotive), etc.  The ADwin  connects to a PC  and  performs  all of the test functions in real-time. The measurement data is then displayed  on the PC through a graphical user interface (GUI). In this way ADwin performs all tests, evaluates the data, and sends results to the control system.



ADwin hardware features tightly-coupled analog and digital inputs/outputs along with add-ons like counters and bus interfaces which form the connection to the test stand. This allows for extremely low-latency operation and high sampling rates. Online evaluation of measurement data is performed immediately after each sample is taken.



ADwin-Gold System:



Here  the  chosen  system  is  an  ADwin-Gold  Real-Time  DAQ    Control  System,  a  low-cost  solution  for applications  requiring  few  I/O  channels  and  limited  expansion  or  configuration  requirements.  ADwin applications always run in real-time, and every sampled value or event can  be evaluated in the same step. For example a control function, online analysis, etc. is performed immediately.



This is made possible  by the  ADwin's design  which features  a local CPU, additional analog and digital interfaces,  and  various expansion options. The local CPU is a fast,  32-bit floating-point DSP, equipped with internal memory for executing real-time code and external SDRAM for data. In conjunction with the ADbasic  real-time  development  tool,  the  DSP  allows  fast,  deterministic  program  execution  with  a guaranteed reaction time of less than 1 µs.



For  operation  with  a  PC,  our  customer  chose  the  optional  Ethernet  interface  (10/100  MBit/s).  For industrial  use  with  a  programmable  controller,  there  are  also  field  bus  interfaces  such  as  Profibus, Interbus, CANbus, etc., USB, and serial interfaces.



Working  independent  of  the  PC  load,  ADwin  can  support  multiple  controllers  simultaneously,  using various control  algorithms  and  cycle times.  Quick  and  simple  controller  development  is  accomplished using  standard  control  algorithms  which  can  be  easily  adapted  to  optimized  applications.  Open-and closed-loop control functions include  PI, PID, cascade, adaptive (e.g. PID speed: max. 500 kHz at 100%, typically 50-500 kHz).



Measuring the Device Under Test:



Using the ADwin Gold system, the engineer first applies an analog  stimulus to the Device Under Test (DUT),  using  multiple  channels  of  actuators.  In  addition  to  this  stimulation,  the  response  of  the components is acquired  in real time  by reading the  ADwin system's  analog  input channels.    The system immediately  calculates  how  well  the  test  component  matches  the  required  specifications.  Both stimulation  and  acquisition  can  be  performed  over  a  very  wide  range  of  frequencies,  from  a  few hundred Hertz to several hundred kilohertz. By very precisely timing  the  stimulation,  data  acquisition, and  online  evaluation,  the  ADwin  system  accurately  calculates  the  dynamic  parameters  of  the  test component.



The figure below shows how an ADwin test system is connected to a PC or programmable controller:



Here the ADwin system performs multiple functions:



• Stimulates the DUT via analog and/or digital outputs

• Measures the responses in real-time via analog and/or digital inputs

• Performs an online calculation of the DUT's dynamic parameters



In this particular test application, test results are displayed on a PC connected via Ethernet.



Visualization Software:



The ADwin system is packaged with a new and innovative visualization software: Kallisté is an objectoriented application development software specifically designed for test engineers working in test and R&D data acquisition applications. With Kallisté users can perform quick data visualization in the form of charts and graphs. Kallisté provides users with visualization for data acquisition, test bench supervision, after-test data analysis, and test reports. Users can run applications under WINDOWS, LINUX, UNIX, MAC OS, and ANDROID.



Being fully intuitive, Kallisté has no icons or programming languages to learn--users design their applications with just English sentences and simple Drag and Drop operations. These features have helped the test engineer to significantly reduce test development time.



Meanwhile the ADwin software environment is easy to use and runs under Windows (95/98/ME/NT/2000/XP/Windows 7) and LINUX or as a reliable stand-alone data acquisition system. ADwin also has drivers for many typical programming environments including VB, VC/C++, TestPoint, LabVIEW and others. 



Benefits of Test Stand Automation:



ADwin has proven to be a reliable real-time data acquisition and control solution for this test engineer's application. With its independent DSP, the ADwin Gold provides high-speed reaction times and test data acquisition, control, AND evaluation.



Additionally, the hardware's Ethernet interface allows for fast data transfer, while Kalliste's complete WYSIWYG display editor makes it easy to create the measurement application and begin testing.



To learn more about ADwin Data Acquisition and Control Systems for your test monitoring and control application, contact a CAS Data Logger Applications Specialist at (800) 956-4437 or visit our website at www.DataLoggerInc.com.



Contact Information:

CAS DataLoggers, Inc.

12628 Chillicothe Road

Chesterland, Ohio 44026

440-729-2570

800-956-4437

sales@dataloggerinc.com

www.dataloggerinc.com 

Contact This Company

All Topics